We recently connected with Gabriel Cordova and have shared our conversation below.

Gabriel , appreciate you joining us today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?

Who is my hero?! hmmmm
Great question but I don’t think I could pick just one. If I was able to answer this question how I want I would say my family. My mom, brothers, grandfather and fiancée. My mom, brothers and grandfather have seen my story firsthand. My mother takes the cake being the woman who raised 4 boys single handedly. We share the cliche story of struggle and didn’t have much. As I take time to reflect back on my childhood, I constantly question how my mother did it. She gave us security and the ability to understand tough times are a must. Tough times make us who we are!

My grandfather was always a father figure to use. I remember a story from when I was in Afghanistan. My wife at the time was asking me for a divorce which hit me pretty hard. My aunt passed away close to the same time and my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. Being halfway around the world with no ability to just go home put in me in a dark place. I was depressed but little did I know I was only feeling sorry for myself. I was able to speak to my grandfather from Afghanistan and of course expressed my sadness for him and everything else going on. This man, recently diagnosed with cancer told me this. “Never feel sorry for yourself. Sometimes you need to be a man, pick yourself up by the b*lls and push forward. The sun is going to come up the next day whether your happy or sad.” I was so taken back by that. It really made me look at my grandfather in a different like. I say that story often to my clients going through hard times. I’ll never forget that day.

My brothers are simply amazing. They all have gone to college and got some amazing jobs. All three of my brothers are math wizards which is why they all chose the architecture/engineering field. My brother Art actually opened up the gym with me where we are business partners going on 8 years now! His passion and ability to break things down and get past mental blocks still amazes me to this day. As the oldest brother I am supposed to be showing them things but often times it’s the other way around. They simply motivate me to be better.

My fiancée and everyone I mentioned above all fight my battles with me daily. From my mental battles I face post military to the struggles of running a business. I honestly would not be where I am without the guidance of my family. They are simply the best.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Well, my name is Gabriel Cordova and I’m a 38-year-old business owner. I joined the military late at the age of 23ish. After serving my time I didn’t really have a plan of attack. I worked odd ball jobs here and there for a short time. My brother and I were always deep in the fitness world here in Tucson Arizona. He was doing bodybuilding shows while I was deployed and gained a lot of knowledge on that process with his coach. When the opportunity came for us to open a gym of our own we knew it was a no brainer. We will utilize our knowledge and reach in the fitness community to bring a REAL non corporate type of gym. It’s been about 8 years now and still going strong!

The world of fitness is constantly evolving and it’s not always for the greater good. Fitness is a business itself so many people are blindsided by the flash and flare. It’s riddled with discount codes and ambassador programs. It’s always about how much someone can sell with no real care for the client. At Shark Sports Tucson we strive to do the opposite. We want to build our clients something long term based around simple nutrition and exercise. Whether someone is looking to step on a bodybuilding stage or simply lose a few pounds for summer we can make it happen. We do more than just give the result. We give the knowledge. We need to show you how to create a routine that will allow you to not need us anymore.

Being transparent and putting your client first will always be number one. The environment, community and support built at our facility is one of the things I’m most proud of. You will hear people say that “It’s a vibe”. I can’t think of a greater comment as people tend to gravitate towards places like this. In our line of work vibes will only get you so far. We also knew we needed to bring a quality product. A product we stood behind and was proud to bring to our community. You can go to the best gym in the world but the one thing a gym always comes back to is RESULTS. Can you provide results and to what level? We believe we provide the highest level of result in our realm of specialty. No quick fixes or fad trends. Quality over quantity.

The Shark Sports brand was not made for just fitness. We knew how to deliver optimal results, so we started there. Once we created a positive premium product, we wanted the logo to mean more. When you see our logo, it does not mean just fitness. When you see our logo, we want it to mean a stamp of quality. When you see our logo, it means it’s a product that you can trust. It’s a product that didn’t cut corners and will last for the long term.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A story that needed me to pivot my plan. I think I have a few of those stories.
There is a famous Mike Tyson quote that says, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”. I love that quote for so many reasons but specifically because it pertains to everything in life. We all have a plan until we face an obstacle.

When we first opened our gym, we had certain plans and specifics. Almost as we had a plan from start straight to success. If you have ever opened a business, you know how wrong we were. The journey to the finish line isn’t a straight line. Through our years we needed to learn how to adapt and overcome. We knew the things we could bend a bit and the things we wanted to stand by. We continue to do that to this day, and we will continue to do it through the rest of our time.

When you experience these pivot situations know that these are your test times. These are struggles. These are the obstacles. I always tell myself that obstacles are not stop signs. Obstacles are made to maneuver around. It may be hard to get around it but there is a way. Do you want what’s on the other side of the obstacle bad enough? If so, you will find a way!

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

How did I meet my business partner? Well, my mom introduced us because it’s my younger brother.
They often tell people not to get in business with family. I can see where they are coming from, but our story is opposite. My family was very tight knit growing up. Our mother and us brothers stayed very close and looked out for each other. My brother is much more of a methodical thinker. He is precise and wants a plan and to know anywhere it can go wrong before it’s executed. I happen to be a bit more of a shoot off the hip guy. I push the pace and take chances.

In business it’s important to make smart precise moves. In business it’s also important to take advantage of an opportunity in the lifetime of that opportunity. We have become each other’s yin and yang. If you can find a person to compliment your style that is the best-case scenario. Someone who keeps your gears spinning.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sharksportstucson.com
• Instagram: @not_gabe_cordova
• Linkedin: Gabe Cordova